Quick Preview of TCM in September

The September schedule for Turner Classic Movies is now available online!

The September Star of the Month will be Melvyn Douglas, which means there will be some really terrific movies airing on Wednesday evenings that month. The schedule looks like a nice mix of the familiar (THEODORA GOES WILD and NINOTCHKA) and the obscure (ON THE LOOSE and TELL NO TALES).

I suspect there's a good chance that Melvyn's granddaughter Illeana Douglas, who has become at regular at TCM events, will cohost his tribute. (Incidentally, Illeana was just announced as a guest on the TCM Cruise this fall.)

Pre-Code fans will be in heaven in September; not only is the Friday Night Spotlight focused on pre-Codes, but Fridays will be devoted to 24-hour pre-Code marathons! Countless classic pre-Code titles will be shown; anyone's favorite pre-Code title is very likely to be found in the listings.

A title on the September schedule of particular note for TCM Classic Film Festival attendees is the British comedy ON APPROVAL (1944) with Beatrice Lillie, Googie Withers, Clive Brook, and Roland Culver. I had a little trouble staying awake during that one (14 movies in 3-1/2 days will do that to anyone!) and am glad of the chance to take another look. There's a very detailed post on the movie by Kim posted at I See a Dark Theater.

I'm also excited about finally seeing THE HIDDEN EYE (1945), the sequel to Edward Arnold's terrific film about a blind detective with an exceptionally smart seeing eye dog, EYES IN THE NIGHT (1942).

One of my favorite days on the schedule is a September 10th tribute to director B. Ross Lederman, with several "B" films starring actors like Robert Sterling, Donna Reed, Regis Toomey, and Julie Bishop. That should be a fun day of little-known films.

And you've got to love TCM spending a day paying tribute to Dennis O'Keefe! I especially look forward to COVER UP (1949) with Barbara Britton. Also on the schedule are O'Keefe's classic noir titles for director Anthony Mann, RAW DEAL (1948) and T-MEN (9147), neither of which should be missed.

September will also bring tributes to William Holden, Edward Dmytryk, Aline MacMahon, Fay Wray, Lauren Bacall, Carroll Baker, William Beaudine, and Deborah Kerr. Saturday mornings will be devoted to the Dr. Kildare series and Ken Maynard Westerns.

I'll post a more detailed look at September on TCM somewhere around September 1st!

In the meantime, Maureen O'Hara is the July Star of the Month, and August will bring the annual Summer Under the Stars Festival.

Update: For more detailed information on TCM's September schedule, please visit my post TCM in September: Highlights, TCM Star of the Month: Melvyn Douglas, and TCM Friday Spotlight: Pre-Codes.